Golf club



Jan.

3. RIGBY GOLF CLUB Filed 001;.

INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES Lenses PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES RIGBY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GOLF CLUB.

Application filed October 7, 1926. Serial No. 140,139.

My invention relates to golf. clubs, and has for its object the providing of novel means whereby the golf club may be taken apart for convenience in carrying the same, and whereby a single handle may be arranged to serve for a number of heads, and whereby handles of difierent lengths may be provided for a given head shaft.

It is the object of my invention to provide the club with a joint mid-length of the club, which when connected will secure the two sections firmly together without destroying the resiliency of the head end of the club.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tubular shaft for a club with fixed collars and plugs to form the connection between sections of the shaft.

One of the important features of a golf club is that there be sufficient whipping action at the head. In my improved club I form the joint in such manner as to allow a whipping action at the head of the club, but cause the vibration to be absorbed at the joint to prevent the vibration being conveyed to the handle, and thereby insuring greater accuracy in wielding the club.

The invention will be further readily understood fromthe following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved club of standard length.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same showing a short handle section; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, partly broken away, showing the joint.

I have shown my invention applied to a club having a tubular steel shaft 21 provided with a head 22 and a handle 23. The shaft is divided at 24, forming an upper handle .section 25 and a lower head section 26. The handle section 25 is provided with a plug 27 which is rigidly secured therein, as by brazing. The plug 27 has an extension 28 provided with a threaded portion 29 at the body of the plug and a tapered outer end 30.

The head section of the shaft 26 has a plug 31 fixed in its upper end as by being brazed therein. This plug has a bore the outer portion of which is threaded as at 32 and the inner portion of which is tapered, as at 33. The threaded portions 29 and 32 and the tapered portions 30 and 33, are respectively complemental to each other.

The extension 28 is received in the bore,

the threads 29, 32 drawing the tapered shank 30 with a wedging fit into the tapered bore 33, firmly securing the two sections together. This joint being of substantially great length and of slight taper and otherwise of novel construction, permits a slight creeping between the complement-a1 walls of the tapered shank and tapered bore, the creeping being in opposite directions at opposite sides of said shank, for absorbing the whipping action of the head to prevent detrimental vibration at the handle at the impact between the head and the golf ball, but insuring sutlicient rigidity between the sections of the tubular shaft of the club to insure accuracy and distance in the driving of the ball.

To make the joint more secure I fix, as by brazing, a collar 34 to the tubular section 25, and a collar 35 to the tubular section 26.

A sleeve 36 having an inwardly extending flange 37, forming" a shoulder, is received over the collar 35 and has threaded connection 38 with the collar 34, for further drawing the two sections together. A knurled nut 39 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 40, forming a shoulder, which coacts with the outer end of the collar 34, and has threaded connection 41 with the sleeve 36 and aids in drawing the collars toward one another, and locks the threaded parts together. The sleeve 36 is also knurled to permit easy turning of the same.

The tubular sections 25, 26, are preferably slightly spaced apart endwise by an annular space 42, when said sections are connected, which aids in absorbing the whipping of the head section of the club. This space is located between the shoulders 43, 44, surrounding the extension 28, at the respective proximate ends of the handle section and head section.

The sections, of the club are easily separated for knock-down relation of the club, and are easily reconnected for use. A single handle section may serve a number of head sections, and handle sections of different lengths may be connected with a single head section. Thus a shorter handle section, exemplified at 45, may be connected with a head section, which is admirable, for instance, when putting.

The sections of my improved club may be readily disconnected for being conveniently received in a usual suit case or Gladstone bag, or for other convenient packing, making the carrying of a usual golf bag unnecessary when traveling.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A golf club comprising a handle section and a head section, means at the proximate ends of said sections securing said sections together comprising a threaded and tapered shank extending from one of said sections and received in a threaded and tapered bore in the other of said sections forming a wedge connection between said sections, a space between said two sections about said shank, and a sleeve received over the adjacent ends or said sections for closing 1 said space between said sections and locking the sections together.

2. A golf club comprising a handle section and a head section, one of said sections provided with a threaded and tapered bore, the other sectionprovided with a threaded and tapered shank, said sections provided with shoulders about said shank, the walls of said shank and bore forming a wedge connection with a spaced apart relation between said shoulders, collars On said sections at their adjacent ends, a sleeve received over one collar and threaded to the other collar tions together. and a nut received about the threaded end of said sleeve for locking said sleeve to said collars.

3. A golf club comprising a tubular handle section and a tubular head section, connecting means between the tubes of said sections comprising a plug fixed in one of said tubes and having a shank extending therefrom which has a threaded portion adjacent to the body of said plug and an end tapered portion, the other of said tubes provided with a plug fixed therein and having an outer threaded bore and an inner tapered bore coinplemental to said threaded portion and said tapered portion of said first named plug for forming a threaded and tapered wedge connection between said tubes, collars fixed to said respective tubes, a sleeve received over said collars and provided with an inwardly extending flange at one of its ends coacting with one of said collars and having threaded connection at the other of its ends with the other of said collars, and a nut provided with an inwardly extending shoulder coacting with said other collar and having threaded connection with the threaded end of said sleeve, for drawing said collars toward one another and locking said sleeve in place.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 

